1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus including a delivery roller for ejecting a sheet material and a delivery tray openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body to hold the sheet material ejected by the delivery roller.
2. Description of the Related Art
The delivery tray of the recording apparatus is openable/closable about a pivotal shaft. When the recording apparatus is not in use, the delivery tray can be held in a closed state to make the apparatus compact and prevent dust from entering a recording section. However, if recording is started with the delivery tray closed, ejection of a recorded sheet material is blocked by the delivery tray, and this may cause inconvenience such as paper jam inside the apparatus.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an automatic opening mechanism for a conventional delivery tray. In this recording apparatus, a delivery tray 144 is automatically opened at power-on or in accordance with a recording instruction. The delivery tray 144 rotates and opens in the direction of arrow C about a rotating shaft 145 with respect to the apparatus main body. In FIG. 13, the inside of the apparatus is on the front side of the drawing, the outside of the apparatus is on the back side, and a chain double-dashed line represents a state in which the delivery tray 144 is open. In the open position, the delivery tray 144 is held in contact with a receiving portion of the apparatus main body.
The center of gravity of the delivery tray 144 is located further outside the apparatus than the rotating shaft 145. A tray lock 100 for holding the delivery tray 144 in the closed state is provided in the apparatus main body. An engaging portion 101 of the tray lock 100 is caught in a depressed portion 149 of the delivery tray 144 to lock the delivery tray 144 in the closed position. The tray lock 100 can be pivoted on a pivotal shaft 103 in the direction of arrow B to release the lock. The tray lock 100 is urged by a spring 110 in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow B. The delivery tray 144 receives a lateral pressure from the engaging portion 101 urged by the spring 110, and this prevents the delivery tray 144 from opening under self-weight in the direction of arrow C.
A plunger 121 of a solenoid 120 is connected to an end portion 102 of the tray lock 100. When the plunger 121 is actuated in the direction of arrow A at power-on or in accordance with a recording instruction, the end portion 102 of the tray lock 100 is pulled in the direction of arrow A. This causes the engaging portion 101 of the tray lock 100 is separated from the depressed portion 149, so that the delivery tray 144 rotates in a direction to open under self-weight and is held in an open position (use position) indicated by the chain double-dashed line.
When closing the delivery tray 144 from the open state, an operator rotates the delivery tray 144 in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow C. As a result, the engaging portion 101 of the tray lock 100 is engaged in the depressed portion 149 of the delivery tray 144 by the urging force of the spring 110, thereby holding the delivery tray 144 in the closed state. Further, when a tray button 130 is pressed in the direction of arrow D in such a state that the delivery tray 144 is closed, a cam portion 131 of the tray button 130 comes into contact with a projecting portion 105 of the tray lock 100 to rotate the tray lock 100 in the direction of arrow B against the urging force of the spring 110. In other words, the delivery tray 144 can also be opened by pressing the tray button 130.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-161369 discloses a recording apparatus provided with a solenoid on the body side and a permanent magnet in a foldable tray. When closed, the tray is kept in the closed state by the attraction of the magnet, while when being automatically opened, the tray is opened by the magnetic repulsion of an electromagnet.
However, the above-mentioned conventional technique has the disadvantage of high cost because of use of the solenoid 120 to rotate the tray lock 100.